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When Buddha decides to die || Acharya Prashant, at Goa University (2022)
Bharat
1.7K views
1 year ago
Consciousness
Ego
Love
Sacrifice
Subjectivity
Truth
Spirituality
Choice
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that spirituality is not about providing answers to a multitude of questions, but about addressing the central problem of the 'I' or the ego. He describes the 'I' as a false entity that is the source of suffering; when this false self dissolves, the questions and suffering disappear. He emphasizes that spirituality is a necessity for everyone because living without it means making a fundamental mistake at the very first step of existence. He clarifies that truth is absolute and objective, whereas our suffering is often rooted in subjective experiences that we mistakenly take as the truth. By recognizing the subjectivity of our experiences, we gain the power to modify our reactions and attitudes, effectively becoming our own masters rather than slaves to the body or the world. Addressing the concept of consciousness, Acharya Prashant asserts that being truly alive as a human being requires the ability to know, experience, and decide. He suggests that many people live like automatons, deeply conditioned and not truly conscious. He defines love as the desire to rise to a higher level of consciousness and sacrifice as the act of giving up whatever impedes that ascension. He explains that for someone at a lower level of consciousness, love means aspiring for the highest, while for someone at a high level of consciousness, love manifests as compassion for those at lower levels. Ultimately, he posits that the purpose of human existence is to perform the action of love by continually raising one's own level of consciousness.